Dirty, desperate desires for “dinero” have dealt a deadly blow to discipline, plunging our decent game into deplorable depths of depravity and decay. Even the most diehard disciple will be doubly disappointed by these despicable deeds that are denting, decimating, dishonoring and destroying our darling sport.

Backdoor underhand dealings from officials have always bastardized the FIFA slogan “My game is fair play; For the game. For the world.” The Match Officials and Commissioner for the MTN FA Cup Match Round of 32 took bribes to influence the outcome of the game. It was between Accra Hearts of Oak FC and Kotoku Royals FC of Akim-Oda.

The officials and the commissioner were caught on hidden-camera on the morning of the match-day taking bribes in their hotel rooms and at the stadium respectively to favor Accra Hears of Oak FC over Kotoku Royals FC of Akim-Oda during the game.

Tiger witnessed and filmed an upcoming “tradition” that is eating away the very foundations of the footballing world – “OFFICIALS BRIBING”. Referees and Match Commissioners in the comfort of their hotel rooms, around the stadia and pitches or anywhere comfortable meet and take an agreed sum of money from team owners/officials thereby rendering the very core principles of the game – competition and fairness – useless.

This and a lot to be mentioned later are what prompted Tiger to go undercover as a team official and engage some match officials and commissioners to purge the footballing fraternity of these rots.

HOW THE PLAN WAS EXECUTED

Madam Leanier Addy (MC) was the Match Commissioner for the Accra Hearts of Oak FC (a Premier League powerhouse) and Kotoku Royals FC of Akim-Oda (a Division One team) match for the Round of 32 of the MTN FA Cup 2017 which was played at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, Accra, on May 21, 2017.

She was seen in the raw video excitedly taking money (GHS 300) with a smiling-face from Tiger at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, which she quickly slid into her trousers and straightened her shirt to prevent anyone from noticing, especially a guy who was bringing her phone to her, after initially telling Tiger he owed her more than GHS 1000, “the amount you owe me is more than thousand”, the Match Commissioner stated. She further told and inquired from the guy who brought her phone to her, “No, Amakye Dede said he should ask me and I have come for five matches. How much would it be? Five hundred thousand right? And calling me out here in haste, he has given me two hundred Cedis”.

She again made both Tiger and the other guy present understood that should it become necessary to answer questions, she would say the money given to her was meant for water as Tiger claims she’s her mom, “No. for me, I don’t know anything. When he came, he said I’m his mom and he just placed two hundred Cedis in my hand saying I should use it for water”, said MC.

On the flip side of the coin; in the King David Hotel, Accra, where the four referees for the same match were lodging, Tiger met with them in his bid to carry out his bribery job.

The Center Referee, Daniel Dogbetey (Referee 1), in the company of the fourth referee, Amofa Sarkodie (Referee 4), were approached in their hotel room to favor Accra Hearts of Oak FC (a Premier League powerhouse) over Akim-Oda Kotoku Royals FC (a Division One team) in the match.

‘CHOP CHOP’ TIME FOR OFFICIALS

Daniel Dogbetey, with a hearing device connected to his phone in his ears, offered Tiger a seat which he declined to due to the urgency of their duties. The following is a bit of what transpired between the still-standing Tiger and the two referees who were lying on their bed:

Tiger: How much was your TnT?

Referee 1: GHS 10.

Referee 4: (Turns to look at Referee 1) How about that of the other one?

Referee 1: He, he, he paid for it.

Referee 4: (Adjust himself well on the bed) Then it’s left with what (money) we’ll return with.

Tiger: (Hands out some money to Referee 4) Take it.

Referee 4: (Collects the money still lying on the bed) It’s left with what (money) we’ll return with. (Tiger adds another money which Referee 4 collects in addition. He places all the money collected on the bed behind him).

Referee 1: (Picks the money placed on the bed asking) What if this (the money giving as TnT when returning) can’t offset it after negotiation?

(They all laugh to that).

Tiger: Come for it when you return. (Moving to still-lying down Referee 4’s side of the bed taking out some money from his brown envelope) You are already aware that, there’s nothing valuable in the FA Cup but what else can we do. We are already aware of the tradition – the practice of bribery – (hands out GHS 700 to Referee 4). Use this as your TnT.

Referee 4: (Takes the money from Tiger and keeps it in his outstretched left hand) Okay. Umm. Thank you.

(Tiger moves to Referee 1, who was now sitting relaxed with his back against the head of the bed, to hand him another GHS 700, his share in the booty).

Referee 1: (As he leans forward to collect his money) Are you the one who called me yesterday?

Tiger: Yes. Please, use this as your TnT (hands the bribe to Referee 1 which he collects with a smiling-face and assumes his former position on the bed). So, if there’s any development.

Referee 1: (Looking at his watch and rubbing his face with his left hand) We would even be there right now. We even have to pass through the town for a white attire for warm up.

Referee 4: (now lying supine) I have officiated their (Akim-OdaKotoku Royals FC) match before. (Raising his eyebrows) They are good.

Tiger: I learned they (Akim-OdaKotoku Royals FC) have a small boy, according to TT Brother.

Referee 1: That’s Saban’s basis for claiming they would get “the Promising Player”.

Tiger: TT Brother even said he would purchase him and give him to Hearts afterward. Okay, we would take note of that.

Referee 1: “Yoo” (Okay).

Meanwhile, in the other room, the two Assistant Referees, FIFA Assistant Referee Theresa Akongyan (Referee 2) – Assistant Line 1 – who was lying prone to the bed and her counterpart Joseph Sey (Referee 3) – Assistant Line 2 – also lying supine to the bed were comfortably enjoying each other’s company on the same bed when Tiger approached them.

After a brief side-discussion, Tiger disclosed his purpose of approaching, “as for this, you are already aware of the tradition – (the) practice of bribery? With FA, you already know?” stated Tiger which Joseph Sey smiled and nodded his head slightly in agreement to. Tiger afterward handed to Joseph Sey, who’s still lying supine with both hands on his pillow supporting his head, GHS 700. Joseph delightfully with a smiling-face collected the bribe and placed his hand as it was with the bribe in it. “God bless you” Referee 3 thanked Tiger. Tiger then called FIFA Assistant Referee Theresa Akongyan who was still lying prone to the bed beside Joseph fidgeting with her phone, “Maame”, Tiger called. Referee 2 expectantly responded, “Yes”, and turned slightly with smiles on her face towards Tiger to be handed her share, GHS 700 also. She appreciatively with a smiling-face collected the bribe and assumed her former position, “God bless you”, Referee 2 appreciated. Tiger and the Assistant Referees then had a very brief side discussion and left the room.

THE OUTCOME OF THE MATCH

At the end of proceedings, the match in question ended in a 4:0 scoreline in favor of Accra Hearts of Oak FC with two penalties in both halves of the game and two other goals. As to whether the officials did the bidding of Tiger for proceedings to end like that, the populace remains the best judges after watching the footage of the match.

THE FIFA DICTUM

The dictum guiding the game stipulates that the Match Commissioner shall give the referee and the assistant referees as much assistance as possible by ensuring the referees are left undisturbed to concentrate on the match and direct the organizers to keep unauthorized persons away from the referees’ dressing rooms. It also states that both the referees and the match commissioner are strictly forbidden to interact with the public and even the match commissioner adopting a reserved attitude towards the media to prevent any such contacts and interactions. The question is, are the football match officials and commissioners aware or do they even understand these rules, as well as some other important rules and principles as both locally and internationally these rules, are being broken?

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The New Crusading Guide is a privately own newspaper in Ghana with Mr ABdul Malik Kweku Baako as its Editor in Chief. We give you the latest news in Ghana and from around the world.
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